Chug-Chug: Inaction!
I came across The Heckler
during the Cubs 2003 season. After reading the bit where the city asks
"Waving Wendel" Kim to stay home the weekend of the air show so that
he doesn't accidentally ground a few airplanes into Wrigley, I knew I
had to get involved. So I did! I submitted the Ron & Andy Sports gag as a sample and the editor,
Brad, called me up and asked if I wanted to try drawing a strip based on
their Heckler mascot. So I did. Results varied and the first strip isn't
anything to speak of; I had never even met the guy (Chug-Chug) until
after the first issue of the 2004 season. So I was a bit embarrassed.
Anyway, I hope they get a little better as you read them.
Chug-Chug The Heckler Mascot is property of The Heckler, all copyrights
for these strips go to them. Click on the back button of your
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2004
Opening Day
Opening Day Part 2: Chug Chug the
media hound. A different version of this printed, so you're looking at a
"demo" here.
Steroid Abuse Probably the favorite
of
my editor and one of my favorites so far.
Guard duty Chug-Chug and Tim get jobs as
security at Wrigley, to keep undesirables out. Eric Karros is very
desirable for the team but I'm not management...
Buzz-Buzz is Chug-Chug's
arch-nemesis. The White Sox DO have fans, you know. Larry Himes was the
GM for both the Sox and Cubs (not at the same time) and there are many
arguments over his tenure over the Cubs. Mainly did he suck, or just
flat out blow?
Mascot mania Chug demands that the
Cubs hire him as their mascot, to compete with South Paw, a mascot on a
team with TWO left handers by my count...
Ladies love the Cubs and Chug-Chug
tries to capitalize on that.
Chug-Chug the agent Gotta sign
them when they're young!
Chipping away at the first stone Chug
& Tim pick up hitchhikers.
Turn, turn, turn... How does Chug
handle the looming end of the season?
Carlos Lee traded? Bad news for the
Sox, worse news for the Cubs! Appeared online only.
2005
Rick Wilkins? For the 2005 Convention
Special, the first strip printed in color!
The Heckler went monthly, instead of once every 2-5 weeks depending upon
the homesteads. But having a SET schedule was much better for business,
though now I'm drawing less. Oh well.
Support your broadcasters!
The Steroid Returns! A little wordier
version than what appeared in print.
Hey baby,
wanna split the cab ride back to my place?
Chug-Chug and Buzz-Buzz decide to get
along. Disaster strikes!
I bet you anything it's not her
birthday.
Chug-Chug returns in color!
The tao of Chug?
These weren't in the print version but appeared on the Heckler's
site.
Buzz Buzz returns! In glorious b&w.
I guess I could miss the Series for a
million. In color! Actually, this one DIDN'T appear on the Heckler's
site, as now Buzz-Buzz would be appearing as much as Chug, and after
all this is a CUBS paper, right? Or maybe because the staff was writing
up a storm this week and the site only had one online article a day.
2006
Convention issue Jody Davis wants
his hand back. Kind of a true story...
Withdrawal. At least they formed a
support group. Who's the cat in panel 5?
Fantasy Baseball League Black & White,
appeared online only. Zambrano as a paladin was in my notebook two years
ago.
Opening Day...Raffle. This one didn't
see print.
The Steroid Returns. Again. Defending Bronson
Arroyo or something, who knows.
The Cycle. Chug-Chug whittled down to
four panels.
Beer money for Ernie Banks. If the
man asks,
you will pool your money so he can buy the team.
Summer catch! An updated version of a
tossed
strip.
Oh Maddux, please don't leave
me.
Things to do ASIDE from watch
hockey?
2007
Cubs Convention strip. I forgot
the word "southpaw," can you believe it?
What do kids know? Based on a true
story where I was at a party and a 7 year old Cardinals fan wants to
start something.
White Sox Advertising Try to stay
positive in the face of brutal reminders of 2005...
Comic Book Heroes Don't Use
Steroids!
Outlook: Grim. Things did not look so
good early in the year...
Why is there a Roberto Clemente Post
Office? When will there be a Ron Santo Sanitation Depot?
Outlook...good? First place? us?
What?
A Steve Perry-Free World Series! Don't
Go Breakin' My Heaaaaart...
Seriously, I never considered that this
would happen just a year later. But without the Cubs. Sorry, Cub
Fans.
So Long, Mr. Jones. Jim Hendry in an
space suit again...why do I keep drawing him that way?
2008
I didn't draw a lot for the Heckler this year because I recorded an
album and then got married, the latter being very time consuming. I also
had to move the business I manage to a new location, which was an
ordeal. So, not a lot of time to draw. Anyway, enjoy:
Cubs Convention strip. Man oh man,
way to ruin my day, Mr. Hill. You were my favorite in an otherwise
dreary Cubs decade.
Feeling the pressure of 100
years.
Don't sell out our corporate name!
A commentary.
Speed it up! No wait, slow it down!
Actually, I don't have "time" to address this issue in full, as I
narrowed the strip down to four panels over a year ago at this point. I
really enjoy the pacing I get in 6 panels, but if I didn't cut it down
to four, it would be so shrunk down that you wouldn't be able to read
ANY of it. AND, as you'll see here:
Good guys wear "green!" Sports
fans try to be a little environmentally conscious. But with Nascar, that
will never happen, because Nascar is an AMERICAN sporting event
that...well, has little to do with fuel efficiency, as far as I can
figure. With the LOOMING oil crisis (that we're already in), why is this
sport not banned? It's a waste of gas! Anyway, this strip has four
panels, but I submitted this three
panel version, cutting out the
last panel about Peak Oil. What is Peak Oil? Look it up, have a few laughs,
never sleep again. The three panel version saw print, and looked larger
than previous strips, so I was happy.
Didn't make the cut?
Scott Boras: Agent of M.A.D.D.U.X.
This is my favorite strip I've done, and it never saw print. Which is
perfectly okay with me, I'm not complaining, there's a very good reason
in that by the time it would have, prodigal Cub Greg Maddux would have
already pitched a few games by then, and it would have been old and
dusty. And it doesn't focus on Chug-Chug. AND few people know who Scott
Boras is. AND...
An early attempt that never saw print.
I'm not even sure if I submitted it, which is fine.
Heckler Valentine's Day card
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